DHM1273. The Road to Basra, Southern Iraq, 7th April 2003 by David Pentland.

Challenger II tanks of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, and Warrior APCs of the Irish Guards, 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats supported overhead by US Marine Corps Cobras during their epic dawn attack to finally take and secure Basra.

DHM1194. The Battle of 73 Easting, Iraq, 26th February 1991 by David Pentland.

Two days into Operation Desert Storm (G+2), and the allied VII Corps had wheeled through southern Iraq towards the Kuwait border. In the centre of the advance were the men and tanks of the US 3rd Armored Division and 2nd Cavalry Regiment supported by the 1st Infantry Division. The greatest glory though, went to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, who after an initial encounter with 10 Iraqi T72 tanks all of which were destroyed near longitudinal line 60 (Easting 60), moved on until the bulk of the battle occurred at 73 Easting. Despite having to fight in almost zero visibility due to dust storms and nightfall, the regiments M2A2, M3A2 Bradleys, and M1A1 Abrams decimated the opposing elements of the Iraqi crack Tawakalna Republican Guard Division and 12th Armoured Division. Their success was followed up by the 1st Infantry Division who carried on the attack to take Objective Norfolk the following morning, and by the 3rd Armored Division to the north who engaged and destroyed other brigades of the Tawakalna and 12 Armoured Divisions.

DHM609. The Artillery Raids, 18th / 23rd February 1991 by David Rowlands.

Between 18th and 23rd February, 1991, immediately preceding the ground assault, Iraqi defensive positions were bombarded by British and American artillery. The Artillery Raids took place just inside the Saudi border all along the front line, from the east coast to west of the Wadi al Batin. The 1st Armoured Division's contribution to the raids was the largest concentration of British artillery since the Second World War. Further behind the M109 and M110 guns and the locating batteries were the armoured vehicle-mounted rocket launchers of the Multi-Launch Rocket System (MLRS). 39 Heavy Regiment, the only British regiment equipped with MLRS, fired five 'fireplans', one of them at night. MLRS can ripple-fire 12 rockets in less than one minute. The Artillery Raids were a major factor in the success of Operation Desert Sword because they contributed to the deception plan by concealing the main point of effort. The ammunition itself was terrifyingly destructive. Furthermore, Iraqi morale, already damaged by the air assaults, was crushed by the artillery bombardment. At the right of the scene a DROPS vehicle of the Royal Corps of Transport is delivering Rocket Pod Containers, and gunners are preparing to re-arm the MLRS.

27th February 1991: After crossing the breach into Iraq, the logisticians carrying combat supplies drove for hour after hour to keep up with the battle groups, following tracks in the sand. The relentless speed of the advance meant there was little time for sleep. This painting shows 14-tonne Bedford trucks carrying ammunition (with an extra pallet of ammunition on the top); TTF bulk fuel tankers of 9 Squadron RCT; and DROPS vehicles carrying Rocket Pod Containers for the MLRS. Flags were flown for extra identification purposes. WO1 (RSM) Ian McLachlan and Lt Col Philip Chaganis RCT stand beside an Iraqi trench system. They wear temperate camouflage pattern NBC suits, and helmets with desert pattern camouflage cover; 1958 pattern webbing and ammunition pouches, with respirator pouch at the right hip. The RSM cradles his SLR while the CO has a Sub-Machine Gun (SMG). A regimental pennant flies from the radio mast on the side of the FFR Land Rover. The motorcyclist also wears an NBC suit, with an SMG slung round his neck. 10 Regiment was based at Bielefeld, Germany, and consisted of 9, 17 and 36 Sqns RCT. The TTF bulk fuel tankers were their only right-hand drive vehicles. The red desert rat of 7th Armoured Brigade was painted (within the black chevron) on the doors of vehicles. The black sphinx was painted on the front of the lorries of 17 Squadron RCT. 10 Regiment did not have its full complement of trailers for their DROPS vehicles. The under-slung loads carried by Chinook helicopters were mainly engine assemblies for Challenger tanks.